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Creamy Leek and Mushroom Soup with Garlic and Thyme

Creamy leek and mushroom soup is a comforting, flavorful bowl perfect for cool-weather meals. Earthy, meaty mushrooms balance the gentle sweetness of leeks to create a soup that feels rich yet light. This one-pot recipe is easy to adapt — make it with dairy, or choose plant-based butter and coconut milk to keep it vegan and dairy-free.

Gray bowls of leek and mushroom soup with garlic toast and parsley.

To prepare this leek and mushroom soup, sauté leeks and mushrooms until fragrant, then simmer them with broth and fresh herbs to build depth. For a creamy finish, stir in cream or canned coconut milk and optionally blend part of the soup for a smoother texture. Mushrooms bring nutrients and umami, and the rest of the ingredients offer comforting, immune-supporting flavors ideal for fall and winter.

Why You’ll Like This Recipe

  • Easy to adapt: make it dairy-free, vegan, or with regular dairy.
  • Earthy, satisfying flavors from mushrooms and leeks.
  • A great alternative to canned cream of mushroom soups, with fresher flavor and texture.

Recipe Ingredients

Prep bowls of mushroom, leeks, cream, onion, lemon, herbs, and garlic for leek and mushroom soup.
  • Fresh mushrooms: white, cremini (brown), or a mix.
  • Butter: unsalted dairy butter or vegan butter (or olive oil).
  • Leek: use the white and pale green parts; discard the tough dark green tops.
  • Onion: brown, white, or yellow.
  • Garlic: fresh cloves, minced.
  • Herbs: fresh tarragon or thyme (or both); parsley or green onion for garnish.
  • Broth: low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
  • Milk: heavy cream, half-and-half, or canned coconut milk for a non-dairy option.
  • Lemon juice: a splash to brighten the soup.
  • Cornstarch (optional): for thickening if desired.

Please refer to the recipe card below for exact quantities, salt, and pepper amounts.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Use 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of dried herbs if you don’t have fresh ones.
  • Substitute white pepper for black pepper for a milder spice.
  • Garnish options: grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, crisp bacon, or crunchy croutons.
  • Swap canned coconut milk for another plant-based heavy cream if you prefer.
  • Use olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free sauté.
  • Include wild mushrooms for more complex flavor.

Chef’s Tip — Buying mushrooms: Choose mushrooms with firm caps and no sliminess or brown spots. Closed caps (no exposed gills) indicate freshness. You can use all white, all brown, or a mix.

Recipe Instructions

Hands trimming mushrooms with a paring knife on a walnut cutting board.
Step 1: Trim mushroom stems flush with a paring knife.
Hands holding mushrooms under a trickle of water to rinse them.
Step 2: Briefly rinse mushrooms under cold running water and pat dry. A quick rinse is fine.
A tray of washed brown and white mushrooms drying on paper towels.
Step 3: Lay washed mushrooms on a towel to dry before slicing.
Hands showing thinly sliced mushrooms above the bowl of a food processor.
Step 4: Slice mushrooms about 1/8 inch thick using a slicer or by hand.
Chopped onions and leeks sautéing in a dutch oven.
Step 5: Melt butter or heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped leeks and onions and cook until soft, 5–7 minutes.
Cooked onions and leeks with green herbs making a soup base.
Step 6: Add garlic and herbs, cook 1 minute more, then add the mushrooms.
A pot full of raw sliced mushrooms cooking down for soup.
Step 7: Stir mushrooms into the leeks and onions so flavors combine.
A heavy pot full of juicy cooking mushrooms as they give off their liquid.
Step 8: Cook mushrooms until they release their liquid and most of it evaporates, about 20–22 minutes.
A gray dutch oven filled with finished leek and mushrooms soup ready to eat.
Step 9: Add broth and cream or coconut milk, simmer until heated through. Stir in lemon juice and finish with fresh herbs.

Chef’s tip — Cleaning leeks: Trim the dark green top and root end. Slice the leek lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove grit. Slice thinly crosswise for the recipe. Extra leeks can be used anywhere you’d use onions: soups, stews, casseroles, and more.

Serving and Storage

For a slightly smoother soup, pulse a few times in a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pot (place the pot in the sink to avoid splatter). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley for color and serve with crusty bread or a green salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette.

Store soup in the refrigerator for up to four days and reheat gently on the stovetop. To freeze, omit the dairy, freeze the base, then add cream or coconut milk when reheating. If you freeze with dairy and it separates, reblend the soup to restore texture. Using higher-fat cream will help reduce separation when freezing.

A gray bowl of chunky leek mushroom soup with a spoon beside bowl.

Recipe FAQs

How do I clean leeks properly?

Trim off the dark green tops and the root end. Halve the leek lengthwise and rinse under cold water to remove sand and grit. Dry and slice as directed.

How can I make the soup creamy without using cream?

Use canned coconut milk for a rich, dairy-free option. It blends smoothly into the soup without a noticeable coconut flavor. You can also puree part of the soup to add body.

Can I make leek and mushroom soup vegan or vegetarian?

Yes. Use vegetable broth, plant-based butter or olive oil, and canned coconut milk or another plant-based cream substitute.

Can I add other vegetables to leek and mushroom soup?

Yes. Small diced cooked potatoes, cooked carrots, or celery work well. Choose firmer potatoes (like gold) so they hold their shape.

More Meaty Mushroom Recipes

If you love mushrooms, try variations such as sautéed mushrooms and onions, stuffed portobellos, or a classic mushroom duxelles for crostini. These preparations highlight the mushroom’s meaty texture and deep savory flavor.

⭐️Did You Make This Recipe?

If you try this leek and mushroom soup, please leave a comment and rating to share how it turned out. Feedback helps other cooks and is always appreciated.

Originally published 12-8-2013, updated 10-26-24.

📖 Recipe

A gray bowl of chunky leek mushroom soup with a spoon beside bowl.

Leek and Mushroom Soup

Sally Cameron

Leek and mushroom soup is earthy and satisfying. Lemon lifts the flavor and fresh herbs add aroma. A food processor speeds slicing, but hand-slicing works well. Swap thyme for tarragon if preferred. For vegan soup use plant-based butter and vegetable broth.
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 4Yield 2 quarts
Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

  • Food processor (optional)
  • 5–5½ quart Dutch oven or similar pot

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds fresh mushrooms (white, brown, or combination)
  • 2 tablespoons dairy or plant-based butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
  • 1½ cups thinly sliced leek (1 large, light part only)
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
  • 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon or thyme (or both)
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup cream, half-and-half, or canned coconut milk
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper
  • 1 small lemon, juiced
  • 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, optional garnish
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional for thickening

Instructions

Prep Mushrooms

  • Trim mushroom stems with a paring knife. Rinse mushrooms quickly under a trickle of cold water, pat dry, and slice about 1/8″ thick using a slicer or by hand.

Cook the Vegetables

  • In a large pot, heat butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add leek and onion and cook slowly until soft, 5–7 minutes. Stir in garlic and herbs and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture and most of the liquid evaporates, about 20–22 minutes.

Finish the Soup

  • Add broth and cream or coconut milk. Heat through, then stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. For a smoother texture, pulse a few times in a blender or use an immersion blender. Add extra fresh herbs near the end if desired.

Notes

This soup keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days. Make the base without dairy to freeze, then add cream or coconut milk when reheating, or freeze with dairy and reheat gently. If separation occurs, puree the soup to restore texture.

Nutritional information reflects the recipe made with regular butter and cream; using plant-based substitutes will change values.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cups
Calories: 380 kcal
Carbohydrates: 23 g
Protein: 14 g
Fat: 29 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sodium: 426 mg